


More of What Was Once Mine

by RavenclawPianist



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, F/M, Flashbacks, Open Mic AU, Romance, adrinette is endgame, but after captain hardrock i have some multishipper feels to work through
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-18 04:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14205441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenclawPianist/pseuds/RavenclawPianist
Summary: Marinette has been in love with Adrien for over three years without either of them making a move. When a new and interested musician shows up at their weekly Open Mic, she finally starts to think about maybe moving on.Adrien doesn't realize what he could have had until it's already too late.(Previously titled "Poetry, Guitars, and Pianos")





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I am a hardcore Love Square shipper, but Captain Hardrock gave me some multi-shipper feels. Adrinette will be endgame in this story, but it's about the journey, yeah?  
> Currently planning 4 chapters.  
> (Also, it's been over a year since I wrote for this fandom, so please be patient with any characterization things I need to relearn!)

“Welcome to the wildest, the loudest, the best open mic night in town!” Alya called into the microphone from the stage while the crowd in the little bar cheered. The stage lights reflected off her glasses as she grinned out at everyone. “The rules are simple: Come talk to me if you want to get up here on stage and say your piece, sing your song, strum your instrument, or dance your dance. It’s one piece per person until we get through the whole list once and remember that we’re all just artists trying to get some attention, so be kind! Let’s get tonight started with the scientific wonderings of Max!”

The crowd applauded and cheered politely while Alya handed over the microphone to Max. She headed toward a small table at the side of the room where Marinette and Adrien waited for her. Nino sat at the table beside theirs, sipping a beer and managing the soundboard for the show.

“Do you have new stuff for us tonight?” Alya asked, stealing a sip of Marinette’s drink.

Marinette took the glass back from Alya, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, it’s a new piece I just wrote last night.”

“Good girl,” Alya said. “Adrien?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been in a rut. I’m just going to play one of my old pieces.”

Marinette frowned. “You haven’t had anything new in a while!”

“I know,” Adrien sighed. “Just haven’t really been inspired in a while.”

“Well choose an old piece then,” Alya said, already getting ready to go back to the stage. “You’re on after Rose and Juleka.”

“So what’s your new piece?” Adrien asked Marinette, smiling at her over the edge of his drink as Alya left them alone again.

She blushed slightly, smiling back. “Um, it’s about unrequited love.”

“Uh oh,” he teased. “Someone I need to have a talking to?”

She blushed harder, imagining just how one-sided that conversation would be. _Adrien, Marinette is in love with you. What do you mean, Adrien? I mean you’re oblivious and she’s been in love with you for three years. Well, what are we going to do now?_ “No, it’s fine. It’s, um, old feelings. No big deal.”

“Well, you let me know if I do have to talk with anyone,” he replied. “You’re awesome and anyone would be lucky to get your attention.”

She busied herself with her drink to keep from laughing or crying. “Right, thanks!”

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Adrien said. Marinette’s heart jumped into her throat as she imagined all the wonderful ways that sentence could end. “Have you thought about starting a poetry blog for your pieces? I think it could really get you more of an audience- if that’s what you wanted.”

She shook her head, heart settling back into her chest. “Uh, no. I’m happy with just performing. I don’t really need a big audience.”

He shrugged as they clapped for the end of Rose and Juleka’s duet. “That’s fair.”

“And up next,” Alya said from the stage, grinning at everyone. “Our favorite pretty boy pianist: Adrien Agreste!”

Marinette applauded with the crowd while Nino whooped and Adrien got up on stage. He sat down at the upright piano at the back of the stage and began to play. Alya took his place next to Marinette at the table.

“You could just ask him out yourself, you know,” Alya said, nodding towards the stage.

Marinette shook her head. “It’s not that easy.”

“I asked out Nino,” she replied. “That was easy.”

Marinette sighed. They’d had this conversation enough times that she knew all Alya’s arguments by heart. Before she could reply, they were approached by a man holding a guitar case. The ends of his dark hair were dyed a turquoise blue, almost matching the color of his eyes. “Excuse me,” he interrupted with a sweet smile. “Sorry to interrupt, are you the host?”

Alya nodded, pulling out her phone. “Looking to get on the list?”

He nodded, his hair falling slightly in front of his face. He pushed it back into place before offering a hand with black-painted nails. “I’m Luka. Guitarist, if you couldn’t guess.”

Alya shook his offered hand. “Alya. You came at a good time, the list isn’t too long yet. You’ll be on after Marinette here.”

He turned to offer his hand to Marinette. “Hi,” he smiled again. “Nice to meet you.”

Marinette shook his hand, ignoring the soft fluttering of butterflies in her stomach at the sound of his warm voice. “H-hi.”

“Are you a musician?” he asked, still holding onto her hand.

She shook her head. “I do poetry. Free-form, mostly.”

“Cool!” he said. “I wish I could write, but words tend to elude me. Music comes easier.”

Marinette removed her hand from his as Alya returned to the stage. “What kind of music do you play?”

“A little of everything,” he replied. “I don’t really have a specific style, just whatever moves me. Do you come to these often?”

“Alya’s my best friend, so I try to be here every week,” Marinette grinned. “She can be pretty tough to tell no.”

The crowd applauded as Adrien finished his piece and Alya hopped back up on stage. “Give it up for Adrien! Alright, I know as host I’m not supposed to play favorites, but next up is one of my favorite poets- and people in general- give it up for Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

“That’s me,” she excused herself. “It was really nice to meet you, Luka!”

“The same to you,” he assured her, stepping out of her way as she headed for the stage. Adrien squeezed her arm quickly as they passed each other. Marinette took a steadying breath before stepping on stage, pulling the microphone stand down to her height before smiling out at the crowd.

“If this was a romance, you would have proposed two years ago on the anniversary of the first time we laughed so hard we cried. It was when I looked at you and all I saw was a beautiful boy with a heart too big for his chest and knew that you were it- the only way I could see my future going,” she paused for breath and shook her head. “If this was a romance, I’d be wearing your ring and would never doubt for a moment that you love me. But this isn’t a romance. And before you ask, this isn’t a tragedy either. This is just life. This is me, in love with someone who has never looked at me that way. Or if he has, he’s never said anything.”

“But my hands are open, reaching out to you, waiting waiting waiting for whatever you will give me. I love you, and somehow you are the only one who doesn’t see that. Have I told you how I hear your name in the roll of thunder? How the sound of your voice follows me in the moments between sleep and waking? How the softest brush of your hand against my arm sends a shock through my system like I put a fork in an electric socket?” she drew in a breath. “This has been my life for three years now. Waiting for you, wishing for you, pretending I could maybe someday be with you. It’s exhausting, and I don’t see an end in sight. Because this isn’t a romance, and the credits won’t roll while my favorite song plays. This- this is just life.”

Marinette took a step back from the microphone, waving briefly in thanks for the applause from the crowd before heading to the edge of the stage and meeting Alya at the stairs. Alya wrapped her in a quick hug before letting her head back to the table. “Give it up one more time for Marinette!”

Adrien was still clapping when she got back to their table. “That was awesome, Marinette!” he told her, reaching out to give her a one-armed hug.

“Thanks,” she said into his shoulder.

“And now for a new voice!” Alya announced from the stage as Adrien let her go. “Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Luka Couffaine!”

Luka grinned out at the crowd as he plugged his guitar into the amp, somehow seeming to smile directly at Marinette despite the way the lights of the stage made it impossible to pick out any one person in the bar. He lightly strummed the guitar to check the volume before nodding and stepping up to the microphone. “I don’t know how I’ll follow up after Marinette just blew us all out of the water, but hopefully you’ll still enjoy this!”

Marinette blushed and put the backs of her hands to her cheeks to cool them. She forgot all about her embarrassment, however, once Luka began playing.

The song was soft and slow, with Spanish undertones from the way Luka picked at the strings rather than strummed. Something about it reminded Marinette of lazy days spent people-watching in a park with warm sunshine. She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her, noticing as it sped up into something more upbeat, as if the people-watching had turned into a spontaneous dance.

It was over too quickly, in Marinette’s opinion. Luka ended the song with a full strum, drawing out the notes slightly before nodding towards Nino and unplugging his guitar. “Thank you!”

Marinette clapped hardest as he left the stage. She reached out to slow him as he passed the table, smiling shyly. “You were fantastic!”

He grinned, ducking his head. “Thanks! I was no where near as good as you, though. You’re really amazing, Marinette.”

“But the way you played was so evocative,” she insisted. “I had a whole story play out in my head from the song, it just had so much feeling in it!”

Alya rejoined them at the table. “Hey, Luka! Great job up there!”

He smiled at Alya without looking away from Marinette. “Thanks! I’m thinking I’ll come back again for next week.”

“You really should,” Marinette agreed, their eyes locked on each other.

Luka’s smile softened as he adjusted his guitar on his shoulder. “Well, if you insist, how can I refuse?”

Marinette ducked her head. “Well, then I insist.”

He winked before waving at them in goodbye and heading over to his own table to put his guitar back in it’s case. Marinette turned back to her friends and blushed. Alya watched her with a shark-like smile. “Well well well,” she teased. “Something you’d like to share with the class, Marinette?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marinette said loftily, sipping her drink.

“What?” Adrien asked, looking between the two women and away from the stage as Mylene finished her poem.

“Nothing,” Marinette insisted.

Alya just grinned.

 

 

“Okay,” Alya said, setting down her coffee mug with a little more force than necessary the next morning when she and Marinette met for breakfast. “Can we talk about Luka now?”

“What?” Marinette choked slightly, looking up from the menu in her hand. “Why would we talk about Luka?”

“Because he was flirting with you?” Alya demanded. “Because he is _cute_ and very obviously interested in you and you definitely were showing some interest back?”

“It was just flirting,” Marinette said, going back to the menu. “It’s not a big deal.”

Alya’s eyes narrowed. “Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to downplay this. You never flirt- at least, you never flirt when you could be successful. But you seemed actually comfortable around Luka and he was so obviously into you, and you deserve something good for once in the love department. So let’s talk about Luka and what you’re going to do next time you see him.”

“I’m not going to do anything,” Marinette argued. “I don’t even know when I’ll see him again. And besides, I am in love with Adrien.”

“And you have been for over three years,” Alya sighed. “Marinette, have you ever thought that maybe you should let that one go?”

Marinette frowned as the waiter came to take their orders. Once he was gone again, she sighed. “I’ve thought about it. But, Alya, he’s so wonderful. And I see him all the time. I mean, if he asked me out-”

“But he hasn’t,” Alya cut in. “Look, you know I am the biggest Adrinette shipper in the world, but at some point you need to be realistic. And it’s been so long since you even went out on a date with someone. It wouldn’t hurt you to just give someone else a try.”

Marinette twisted the napkin in her lap. “It would feel like I was cheating.”

“You can’t cheat on someone you aren’t dating,” Alya assured her. “I just don’t want you to miss out on something that could be good because you’re waiting around on the most oblivious boy in the world.”

Marinette was quiet as the waiter delivered their meals. “For all we know Luka just flirts like that with everyone.”

“Well, he didn’t flirt like that with me,” Alya argued. “And I definitely didn’t see him looking at anyone else like he looked at you.”

“And how did he look at me?”

Alya grinned her shark smile. “Like he wanted to take you somewhere quiet and play you more music until you couldn’t help but kiss him.”

“Alya!”

She ignored Marinette’s scolding. “It’s true. Look, just think about it, okay?”

Marinette scowled at her waffles as she began to cut into them. She had a sudden flash of memory of Luka’s blue eyes and soft, soft smile. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

 

 

_Marinette looked around the room, watching her friends dance and laugh in the tiny living room of the new apartment shared by Adrien and Nino. They had become fast friends when Adrien moved to town a little over a year ago, even faster than Alya and Marinette had become friends in high school. The party was supposedly a housewarming, but Marinette suspected it was more of an excuse for Nino to show off his DJ skills and try to flirt with Alya._

_“Marinette!” Adrien appeared at her elbow, grinning. “Hey! How are you?”_

_“I’m good! This is a great party, Adrien!” she said, trying to make herself heard over the music._

_“What?” he yelled._

_“This is a great party!” she yelled back. Adrien smiled and shook his head, rolling his eyes towards the sound system Nino had set up._

_“Would you like to dance?” he asked over the blaring music._

_She nodded, beaming up at him. He grinned and led her over to the area of the living room that had been cleared for dancing. He guided her hands behind his neck before placing his hands on either side of her tiny waist. He carefully began to lead her in a small circle as they kept to the slow and sultry beat of the song just starting to play._

_The song was over before Marinette had really relaxed. Adrien took a step back before taking her hand and smiling. “Do you want to get some air?”_

_She nodded and followed him out onto the tiny balcony, leaning back against the railing and looking back in at the party through the glass doors. “I hadn’t realized how warm it is in there.”_

_“Are you cold?” he asked, shrugging out of the hoodie he had on. “Here.”_

_She let him drape the sweatshirt over her shoulders, blushing a little as she caught the scent of his cologne. “Thanks,” she murmured._

_He looked out across the city, elbows on the railing. “I haven’t seen you in a while, what have you been up to?”_

_She shrugged. “I’ve just been busy with work and helping my parents out on the weekends. It’s getting closer to wedding season, so they need some extra workers.”_

_“That’s really nice of you to help your parents out,” he commented, turning to face her again. “I don’t think many people would do that.”_

_“It’s not a big deal,” she said, ducking her head and turning to mirror his stance. “What have you been doing lately?”_

_He sighed. “Not a lot. My dad wants me to get back into modeling, but I’m actually thinking about going back and getting my master’s degree. Honestly, I’ve just been spending way too much time looking up school options on the internet.”_

_“Would going back into modeling be so bad?” she teased. “I mean, you could always do another perfume add.”_

_Adrien snorted. “Yeah, because one when I was a teenager wasn’t enough.”_

_She giggled. “I wish I had known you then. I bet you were the sweetest kid.”_

_“I was a pushover,” he said blandly. “I don’t think you would have liked me much.”_

_“I doubt that,” she muttered._

_Adrien moved a little closer, nudging his shoulder against hers. “I bet you were a cute kid,” he said. “You totally were the girl who always brought sweets to school, right?”_

_“It comes with being a baker’s daughter,” she said, grinning up at him. “I could barely leave the house without having cookies pushed onto me.”_

_He smiled down at her, eyes soft. “I bet I would have loved you.”_

_The breath caught in her chest and her mouth fell a little open. Adrien’s eyes flickered from hers to her lips and back again. He swallowed and began to lean in._

_They both jumped with the balcony door slid open with a crash and Nino bounced outside. “Dudes! Come on, we’re going to teach Ivan how to do the Electric Slide!”_

_Adrien looked back at Marinette with a shaky smile. “Let’s go!”_

_She followed the boys back into the apartment, heart racing._

 

 

Two days later found Marinette taking an evening stroll along the river, her sketchbook in her bag in case of sudden inspiration. She had just begun to think of heading home when someone called her name.

“Marinette?”

She turned, a pleasant fluttering erupting in her stomach when she recognized Luka walking towards her. His blue-tipped hair was messier than the other night due to the breeze along the water, but his smile was just as soft as she had remembered. “Luka! Hi!”

“This is a nice surprise,” he said, falling into step with her. “What brings you to the river?”

“I come here and sketch sometimes,” she replied. “I was just finishing a walk. What are you doing here?”

“I’m on my way home,” he replied. “I live not too far from here.”

Marinette smiled at him again, not sure what to say. The fuzzy feeling in her stomach stayed as they walked in silence for a few steps. “Did you like the rest of the open mic the other night?”

“I did,” he said. “But I have to say, you were the best person there. Your way with words is amazing!”

She couldn’t keep herself from laughing. “Oh my gosh, if you had told me that when I was younger, I- I, hahaha!”

He watched her laugh with a grin. “I’m guessing there’s some story I’m missing?”

She nodded, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “Yeah, oh gosh, I was so bad with words when I was younger. I would stutter whenever I got nervous and just generally wasn’t a good speaker.”

“I never would have guessed that based on your performance,” he said. “You seemed like you were born to be up there.”

She blushed slightly. “Thank you.” Marinette cleared her throat quietly, watching him from the corner of her eye. “So, how did you get into music?”

“My mom,” he said. “She’s always been really big into creativity and encouraged me and Juleka to follow whatever made us feel like we best expressed ourselves.”

“You’re Juleka’s brother?” Marinette asked, surprised. “I’m friends with her! How have I not met you before?”

He shrugged. “I was traveling for the past few years. I just got back into town last month.”

“Where did you travel?” she asked.

“Everywhere,” he said. “Ireland, Scotland, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Sweden. I was thinking of going to Germany next, but then I was ready to just come home for a while, you know?”

“No,” she said honestly. “I’ve never really traveled much. I mean, I’ve been to Shanghai a few times to see my mom’s side of the family, but that’s basically it. I would love to go to Milan someday- all the fashion shows and designers I love are there.”

“So you’re into fashion?” Luka asked, holding out his hand to help her over a large puddle in the middle of the sidewalk from the rainstorm that morning.

She accepted his help with a smile, letting him help her jump over the water. “I actually work for a design house here. I’d love to make it to Milan’s fashion week someday, but that’s really far away. Right now I’m just a junior assistant to one of the designers.”

“That’s still really cool,” he told her. “I’ll admit, I don’t really know anything about fashion.”

Marinette realized he still was holding her hand when they reached the street she needed to take to get home. “This is my street,” she said, letting go of his hand. “I’m really glad I ran into you.”

“I’m sorry if this is too forward,” he started. “But could I take you to dinner? We can talk more about traveling and you can educate me on fashion.”

She ducked her head to hide her smile, butterflies rioting in her stomach. “Okay.”

He grinned, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “What’s your number? I’ll look up some good restaurant options and text you to see what time works for you.”

Marinette recited her number before saying goodbye and walking away. As she got closer to her apartment, she pulled out her own phone and dialed. “Alya? You’re going to be so proud of me.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I had a really great time tonight, Marinette,” Luka told her the next night as they lingered in front of her apartment building after dinner and another walk along the river. His warm hands were wrapped around hers as they stood on the sidewalk. She could feel the callouses on his fingers from his guitar, the roughness a pleasant contrast to the softness of his palms.

“So did I,” she assured him, looking up into his eyes. She squeezed his hands, not quite ready to let go.

“Can I take you out again?” he asked. “Maybe tomorrow night?”

She grinned, bright and open. “Tomorrow night would be wonderful.”

He smiled his soft smile, leaning in and brushing a kiss against her cheek. “Until tomorrow, then.”

“Good night, Luka,” she said, removing one of her hands from his to place it on his shoulder as she leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek of her own. “Thank you for dinner.”

He continued to hold onto her hand. “Marinette?”

“Mhmm?” she asked, other hand still on his shoulder as they stood closer than they had all night.

“Would it- would it be alright if I kissed you?” Luka asked, voice quiet.

Her face felt warm as she nodded. “It would be very alright.”

His eyes flickered from her lips to her eyes and back as he leaned in, lightly and slowly pressing his mouth to hers. She kept hold of his shoulder, leaning in towards him as the kiss went on. His free hand went up to cup the back of her head as the kiss deepened, supporting her as he began to tilt her backwards.

When they finally pulled apart, Marinette felt out of breath. “Wow.”

Luka grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said, reaching up for him again. “Can we do that again?”

His grin grew as he leaned in. She stood on tiptoes to try to reduce his height, sighing when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted slightly, pulling her feet off the ground.

Five minutes later she walked into her apartment, goofy smile on her face as she turned on the lights and locked the door behind her. A calico cat came running out of the bedroom to rub against her legs, purring. Marinette picked her up and cuddled her close. “Tikki, I just had the best night.”

 

 

Marinette handed Nino his usual drink behind the sound equipment as she passed him on her way to sit down with Alya at the edge of the stage, waving in acknowledgement at his thanks. Alya swayed to the music playing over the speakers as they prepped for the Open Mic. “So, is your lover boy going to be here tonight?”

Marinette wrinkled her nose at the nickname, unable to keep herself from smiling. “He might have mentioned he would be.”

“And how many times have you seen him this week?” Alya teased.

Marinette grinned. “Every night since last Tuesday.”

“Ooh, so you two are serious?” Alya knocked her shoulder into Marinette’s. “Are you holding out on me with some details?”

“Alya, come on,” Marinette shook her head. “We’re just getting to know each other.”

“Uh huh,” Alya hummed as she sipped her drink. “And you expect me to believe that mark on your neck isn’t a hickey?”

She clapped a hand over the dark spot where her neck and shoulder met, blushing furiously. “I knew I should have brought a scarf.”

“I thought you were just getting to know each other?” Alya smirked.

Marinette removed her hand again and looked around the near-empty bar to make sure no one was listening. “Okay, so we’ve kissed. Not a big deal.”

“Honey, that’s a full-on hickey. You don’t get that from innocent little good night kisses.”

“What do you want to hear, Alya?” Marinette demanded. “That he’s sweet and wonderful and likes me and we might have gotten a little caught up last night when we were saying goodnight and made out outside my building for an hour?”

Alya’s shark smile had returned. “Now that is more like it.”

Marinette covered her face with her hands. “Damn it.”

“So, how was he?” she asked, setting her drink down on the stage and leaning in. “Did you go all weak at the knees?”

“Can we not talk about this right now?” Marinette muttered, voice muffled by her hands.

“Not talk about what?” asked Adrien as he joined the women, a cup of coffee in one hand.

Marinette whined quietly.

Alya patted Marinette’s back lightly. “About Marinette’s hickey.”

Adrien choked on his coffee, clearing his throat once he could breathe again. “What?”

“Nothing,” Marinette glared at Alya before turning to smile at Adrien. “How was your week?”

“It sounds like it was uneventful in comparison to yours,” Adrien commented, sitting down beside her. “I didn’t even know you were seeing someone.”

Marinette shrugged awkwardly, fighting the temptation to cover her hickey again. “It’s new. We just started seeing each other.”

“Can I ask who?” Adrien asked politely.

“Remember that awesome guitarist from two weeks ago?” Alya interrupted. “Luka? Yeah, he apparently swept Marinette off her feet and made her knees go week and turned her into a make-out fiend.”

“Alya!” Marinette hid her face in her hands again. “Oh my god, I didn’t say any of those things.”

“Doesn’t mean you weren’t thinking them,” Alya said as she hopped down from the stage. “I’ll be right back, I want to check when Nino will be ready.”

Marinette peeked out from behind her fingers. “Is she gone?”

Adrien chuckled. “Safely on her way to Nino.”

“For the record,” Marinette said, finally letting her hands down. “I never in my life have used the phrase make-out fiend.”

“Yeah, that didn’t really sound like you,” Adrien assured her. “You’d be much more poetic about it.” He swirled his coffee around in it’s cup for a moment. “So, uh, you and Luka, huh?”

She nodded. “Yeah. He’s really sweet, and I like spending time with him. He’s really- he’s soothing to be around; if that makes sense.”

“Guess I should probably meet him this week,” Adrien muttered. “Make sure he’s good enough for you.”

“That’s not your job,” she said, surprised by his tone. “I think I can tell who’s good enough for me on my own.”

“And you think he is,” Adrien said, something almost dark in his voice as he refused to look at her.

“I think he’s nice and I enjoy his company, and that should be enough,” Marinette said, frowning. “Why are you acting weird?”

He shook his head, giving her a very weak smile. “I’m not acting weird. I just want to make sure you aren’t going to get hurt. I mean, we barely know this guy.”

“I think I know him fairly well after eleven dates,” Marinette replied as the door to the bar opened and a group of regulars for the Open Mic flooded in. She saw a flash of turquoise from the corner of her eye as she stood up. “But thank you for your concern.”

Marinette tried to keep her face from showing her anger as she walked over to the table where Luka had set down his guitar case. She didn’t know what had made Adrien so set against liking Luka, but she wasn’t going to let his weird prejudice ruin her night.

Luka lit up when she reached him. “Hey Marinette!” he leaned in a gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Sorry I’m later than planned, I lost track of time while working on a new song.”

“It’s okay,” she said, placing her hand on his arm. “I’m just glad you came!”

He grinned and cupped her cheek in one hand, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the lips. His thumb grazed against her hickey as he pulled away. “Oops, was that from last night?”

She nodded, blushing lightly. “I didn’t realize it would be so noticeable when I left the apartment.”

He shook his head, letting his hand slide down her arm until they were holding hands. “I’m sorry. I hope you haven’t gotten too many questions.”

“I don’t mind,” she told him. “I like getting to talk about you.”

He grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said, using their joined hands to guide him into putting his arm around her waist. He followed her lead easily, squeezing her hand when she let go. “So you’re working on a new song?”

Luka nodded. “Yeah, it’s a kind of classical punk ballad, you know?”

She laughed. “I have no idea what that means.”

Luka grinned and started trying to explain. Marinette nodded as she listened, looking across the room to see Adrien at their customary table with Alya and Nino chatting away beside him. His eyes flickered from her to Luka to his arm around her waist and back to her. Their eyes met, holding for a moment before Adrien looked back down at his coffee cup.

Marinette’s heart beat a little faster as she refocused on what Luka was saying about capos and the intersection of genres.

 

 

_“Okay, so we’re making a basic white cake,” Marinette told Adrien as she began to pull bowls and whisks out of the cabinets of her apartment. “This is seriously the easiest cake, so there is no way we can mess it up.”_

_“You underestimate my horrible cooking skills,” he replied dramatically, accepting the apron she handed him. “I will find a way to ruin Nino’s birthday cake.”_

_Marinette shook her head as she tied on her own apron. “Well, even if you do, we can always just get one from my parents instead,” she said sensibly. “Now, go put the butter and sugar in the electric mixer.”_

_Adrien approached the appliance warily, carefully measuring out the sugar and butter as Marinette directed. He switched the mixer on, watching as the butter and sugar began to spin._

_“You’ll want the speed higher than that, unless you want us to be here all night,” Marinette said, flipping the switch to a higher setting._

_Adrien grinned at her. “Darn, you already discovered my plan! I was going to make sure this took so long that I would get invited to stay for breakfast and have those amazing pancakes you make!”_

_Marinette grinned, shaking her head at his theatrics. “If you want me to make you breakfast, all you have to do is ask,” she said without thinking as she got out the cake pans to begin preparing them for the oven. Her mind caught up a minute later to the possible implications of her words. “Um, I mean, just breakfast. Not like you stayed the night and sexy breakfast. Just friend breakfast. Normal breakfast!”_

_Adrien laughed. “Relax, Marinette, I don’t really expect you to make me breakfast. I should probably actually be the one offering you breakfast since you’re helping me out with this cake.”_

_Marinette had a sudden image of Adrien in her kitchen, making breakfast in nothing but his sweatpants with morning sunlight all around him. She coughed lightly and blushed, setting the greased and floured pans down on the counter. “It’s no big deal,” she said, voice a little squeaky. “Um, okay, so next we need to combine the salt, flour, and baking powder.”_

_Everything went smoothly until it came time to add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Marinette had added the first third portion before handing the job over to Adrien. Before she could stop him, he had attempted to dump the rest of the flour mixture into the bowl while the mixer was still on, resulting in a cloud of flour spilling out of the mixer and covering both Adrien and Marinette in a flour dust._

_They both blinked for a moment, eyes wide and faces covered in flour. Marinette was the first to start laughing, holding onto her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. Adrien soon was hunched over with helpless giggles as well, holding onto the counter to stay standing. She handed him a towel to wipe off the dust as her giggles slowed down, using a towel of her own to get rid of the worst of the flour on her own face._

_“So I might have underestimated your cluelessness with kitchen appliances,” she admitted, looking up at him with a grin. “And we have to start over since I don’t know how much flour actually got into the batter.”_

_He sighed and shook his head, shoulders slumped. “I tried to warn you,” the laughter in his voice gave the lie to his posture. “I am a disaster in the kitchen.”_

_Marinette shook her head, reaching out with her towel to wipe away a bit of flour on the side of his neck. Partway through the motion she realized what she was doing, blushing a light pink and stepping back again once his neck was clear of dust._

_“You still have some flour too,” he said, pointing at the right side of his own face. Marinette rubbed at her left cheek, looking at him again afterwards._

_“No, it’s right-” he reached out and rubbed the spot on her right cheek away with his thumb, hand gently cupping her face. “There.” Adrien didn’t pull away immediately, lingering in her space as their eyes met. The breathe caught in her chest as she looked into his bright green eyes, mere inches between them as they stood alone in the center of the kitchen. Her mind went into overdrive as she imagined a million scenarios where he leaned in just a little bit more-_

_Her cheek burned where he had touched as he pulled away again. “Thanks,” she murmured. “Um, we should probably sweep up before- before we keep going.”_

_“Right,” he said, voice a little rougher than usual. Adrien looked down at his hands, thumb still streaked with flour. “Marinette, I, um-”_

_“Yes?” she asked, frozen while he struggled to find words._

_He shook his head, smiling at her. “Um, where’s a broom?”_

_Her heart resettled in her chest. “Uh, the big cabinet by the door.”_

 

“Did Adrien seem weird to you the other night?” Marinette asked Alya and Nino a few days later as they ate dinner together around Alya’s living room table.

Nino and Alya exchanged a look before setting down their forks in sync. “What do you mean?” Nino asked.

Marinette narrowed her eyes at them. “Well, he was kind of almost sulky when he asked about Luka.”

Alya smirked, slapping her boyfriend lightly on the shoulder. “I knew it! Pay up, Nino.”

“What?” Marinette demanded as Nino handed over a five-dollar bill to Alya. “What were you betting on?”

“That Adrien was jealous,” Alya said happily as she slid the money into her pocket. “Nino was so sure he had just had a bad day but I knew it.”

“Yeah yeah,” Nino muttered. “Sorry for hoping my bro wouldn’t stoop to jealousy.”

“Okay, I’m giving you ten seconds to explain before I start making weird noises,” Marinette told them. “What do you mean he was jealous?”

Alya picked up her fork again. “I mean that seeing you with a hickey from another guy finally knocked some sense into him!”

Marinette glared at her for a minute before looking to her other friend. “Nino?”

He shrugged, also returning to his meal. “Look, I’m not saying that Adrien has had a long-suppressed crush on you-”

“Except that Adrien has had a long-suppressed crush on you,” Alya interrupted. “Like, forever. He’s just too oblivious to feelings to realize it.”

Marinette gaped at them. “That is so- there’s no way- I- what?”

“Look,” Nino said, leaning an elbow on the table and setting down his fork again. “We all know that Adrien is a good guy, if a little slow on certain uptakes.”

“Right,” Alya and Marinette agreed.

“I’ve lost count of how many times he’s come back from hanging out with you, Marinette, and immediately collapsed on the couch and complained about missed opportunities,” Nino continued. “Like, for a while, it was basically every time he saw you. But then he would always talk himself out of it and say what a good friend you are and how that was more important anyway.”

Alya frowned at him. “Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

“Bro code,” Nino said simply, starting to eat again.

Alya scowled before turning back to Marinette. “So obviously he now has realized that being your friend isn’t enough, and he’s jealous that Luka got to you first.”

“He has no right,” Marinette said, frowning. “I waited for him for three years and he wasn’t interested! It isn’t fair for him to want me now.”

“Well, according to Mr. Bro Code here, he was interested,” Alya said fairly.

“But he didn’t do anything about it!” Marinette said, throwing up her hands. “He had three years to make a move, and now he decides to actually care?”

“I know, hon,” Alya said sympathetically. “It’s pretty shitty.”

“I waited for three years,” she repeated. “Why is he choosing now to like me back? Is it because I’m not available? Because someone else finally likes me? That’s just-that’s- Alya!”

“I know,” she said again, rubbing Marinette’s back soothingly. “But sometimes guys do this. They just want what they can’t have.”

“Hey!” Nino said.

“That’s stupid,” Marinette muttered, putting her head down on the table as she pushed her plate away from her.

“Boys are stupid,” Alya assured her.

“Hey!” Nino repeated.

“Shush, Nino,” Alya said absently. “Marinette, you okay?”

“He had three years to say something,” she muttered. “And Luka is great. This isn’t fair.”

“I know, honey,” Alya said, patting the back of Marinette’s head. “I know.”


	3. Chapter 3

“No Luka tonight?” Alya asked after hugging Marinette in greeting. The bar was already filled with the regular crowd, all waiting for the Open Mic to begin.

“He had a family commitment,” Marinette replied. “Something about a monthly boat ride?”

Alya shrugged. “Well, that explains why Juleka isn’t here either. So, what are you performing tonight?”

“Something new,” Marinette said, steering them towards the bar counter. “Honestly, I’m kind of glad Luka isn’t here tonight. It would be weird to do a piece about him with him here.”

“Ooh,” Alya winked. “Something spicy and sexy for us?”

Marinette giggled. “Oh gosh, no. Just about how he makes me feel in comparison to, um, other people.”

Alya nodded as they accepted their drinks from the bartender. “Mhmm. Well, other people are here tonight, just so you know. I’m curious how he’ll act without Luka around.”

Marinette pursed her lips. “I’m still mad at him. He has no right to be jealous of Luka.”

“Doesn’t change that he is,” Alya sing-songed as they got closer to Nino’s table.

Marinette frowned, glaring at her before saying hello to Nino. Adrien waited at their usual table on Nino’s other side. She sighed and walked over to the table, setting down her drink. “Hey, Adrien.”

“Hey Marinette,” he said, his tone politer than she had become used to. “How are you?”

She shrugged. “Same old, you know?”

“Right,” he said, awkwardly tapping his fingertips against the table. “Uh, so- is Luka coming tonight?”

She shook her head. “He had a family thing.”

“Oh, cool!” Adrien said, voice more normal again. “Um, I mean, that’s too bad.”

Marinette narrowed her eyes. “Ok, what’s going on? Why don’t you like Luka?”

“Who said I don’t like Luka?” he asked, not meeting her eyes. “I don’t have an opinion on Luka. I mean, I don’t even really know him.”

“No,” Marinette agreed. “You don’t. But every time his name comes up you start acting weird. So what’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on,” Adrien insisted, still looking everywhere but at her. “I just think you might be going a little too fast with him, is all.”

“Too fast with him?” she repeated. “Okay, one, what I do with people I date is none of your business. You’ve made it very clear that you don’t have an interest in that.”

“Wha-” Adrien began, clearly confused and finally looking at her again.

“Two,” Marinette barreled on, ignoring him. “Who are you to decide the speed of relationships? Luka and I have been seeing each other for about a month now, and I think we’re right where we should be. Three, why would you even care if I was moving too fast? Hmm? Why would it matter to you?”

Adrien stared at her, his face set stubbornly. “It matters.”

“Why?” she demanded. They both ignored the applause signaling Alya’s arrival on stage to begin the show.

His jaw twitched. “Because, I don’t want to see you race blindly into a relationship with a guy you’ve only known for a month and then get hurt.”

“What, you’d rather I wait around for a close friend for three years and then get hurt that way instead?” she said without thinking, slapping a hand over her own mouth once she realized what she’d admitted.

Adrien frowned. “What are you talking about?”

She shook her head. “Never mind. Look, my relationship with Luka isn’t yours to judge. You should just be happy that I found someone who cares about me.”

“I care about you,” he muttered just barely loud enough for her to hear over Alya’s opening monologue. His eyes were once again focused on the table, following the invisible design he absently traced on the tabletop.

“Not like he does,” Marinette replied. “And, even if you did,” she rushed on before she could stop herself, remembering her conversation with Alya and Nino. “It’s a little late now for that.”

He looked up at her then, his eyes dark and focused. She watched him take a deep breath before he started to lean in towards her, one of his hands reaching out to her hand resting beside her drink on the table.

 “Give it up for Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” Alya called from the stage, startling them both.

Marinette gave Adrien one more glare before winding her way through the tables to the stage. Her hands shook as she pulled the microphone down to her height, frustration and anger and hurt racing through her veins as she tried to collect herself quickly.

“Sometimes I wish I were a mirror,” Marinette began, voice steady once more. “I wish I could show people all the good things I see in them, wish I could help them come to terms with the bad. I want to be substantial, to make them stop and look into me, because they believe that they will find something worthwhile inside me. I want to be seen, to be looked at.”

“But I’ve only ever been a window to you. You look through me, over and over and over, until I begin to wonder if I’m even really here.” Marinette paused for a breath, lightly biting the inside of her cheek. “But he- he sees me,” she continued, voice wavering a little. “He looks at me and sees all that I am, everything I’ve always been and he takes all that in and holds it in his hands like I am something delicate and wonderful.”

A soft smile spread over her lips. “Do you know how that feels? To out of the blue have someone look at you and see all the good in you and reach out to hold you because of it? To have someone choose you when you know they have a hundred different options waiting at their door?” Marinette shook her head. “You never had to learn how that feels. I was one of the hundred to you. But to him, I’m the one. And with him, I never have to wonder if he’s looking _through_ me or _at_ me. I always know the answer.”

She stepped back from the microphone, bowing her head at the applause before leaving the stage. Alya gave her a quick hug before bouncing back onto the stage to announce the next performer. Rather than return to Adrien’s table, Marinette pulled up a chair beside Nino at the sound board, doing her best to ignore the itching feeling at the back of her neck that made her think Adrien had decided to try to burn a hole in her head by staring at her.

Nino glanced at Marinette once before pushing his mostly untouched glass of whiskey at her. She picked it up, lifted it towards him in a toast, and downed it all.

After another few performers, Alya called Adrien up to the stage. Marinette watched him walk past without looking at her, his shoulders rigid as he sat down at the piano. Alya joined Marinette and Nino at their table, glancing between Adrien’s posture and Marinette’s glare. “Everything okay?”

“Definitely getting some weird break-up vibes here,” Nino agreed quietly as Adrien began to play.

Marinette ignored them both, focused on the melody Adrien has begun to play. It was surprisingly delicate for the amount of tension he was holding, a gentle trill across the upper notes of the piano that stayed steady even as he began to add in harmonies across the middle and low notes. The harmonies built up into a roaring crescendo, nearly drowning out the soft melody.

The song washed over Marinette like a waterfall, the pain and frustration obvious in the furious way Adrien played. She rarely saw this side of him- the intensity he kept hidden away after a childhood of neglect and restrictions. Her heart beat in time with the rhythm, knocking against her ribs and trying to crawl up her throat.

Something in the tune nudged at her memory- she had heard the underlying melody somewhere before. Marinette nibbled on her lip as she watched Adrien play. Her world had narrowed down to the table she leaned against and the bright stage where he pounded on the piano.

Adrien closed his eyes as he finished the song, the heavy harmonies fading out until he only played the delicate melody. He let the last note linger before opening his eyes again and leaving the stage, ignoring the riotous applause echoing throughout the bar. Without looking back at the audience or his friends, he pushed open the door to the bar and went outside.

“Think he’s okay?” Marinette asked Nino quietly as Alya went up to announce the next person.

Nino shrugged, worry clear in his eyes. “I think if he wanted to talk, he wouldn’t have left.”

 

 

_“Okay, so you have to promise not to laugh or tell anyone about this,” Adrien told her as she followed him into his bedroom._

_“I promise,” she said, putting one hand over her heart and holding up the other. “Whatever weird secret you are about to share will stay between us until you say I can tell other people.”_

_Adrien grinned at her, opening his closet and pulling out a large case. “Thank you.”_

_“But at this point I think you either are a furry or are secretly a murderer, so heads up,” she said with a grin of her own, sitting down lightly at the end of his bed._

_“Well, this is going to be a letdown, then,” he said, unzipping the case and pulling out a keyboard. “I’ve just been starting to write music.”_

_Marinette watched as he set the keyboard on a stand she hadn’t noticed by the wall. He pulled it over beside the bed before sitting down beside her, their knees knocking together as he settled down. “I know Alya’s been talking about starting an Open Mic night somewhere, and I wanted to have something to do at them. But I don’t want to go and turn out to be terrible. I thought you’d be the best unbiased person.”_

_She managed to keep herself from laughing at the idea that she could ever be unbiased about Adrien. “I can try!”_

_He grinned at her again before letting out a quick breath and beginning to play._

_The song was delicate, a simple melody that he played across the high notes of the piano. She watched his hands flit across the keys, marveling at how he seemed to move without thinking. As the song progressed, he added in a harmony across the middle notes, quick staccatos that drew attention back to the melody as it began to slow down._

_He looked over her as he removed his hands from the keys, smiling down at her. “What do you think?”_

_“It’s beautiful,” she gushed. “I mean, it’s still kind of simple but you wrote it! I mean, I don’t think a lot of people can write their own songs. What are you calling it?”_

_He ducked his head, cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “Marinette.”_

_“What?” she asked._

_“No, um, the song. It’s called Marinette.”_

_She could feel the blood rushing to her face as she stared at him, could feel her heart beating extra hard inside her chest. Hesitantly she reached out to put her hand over his. “I love it.”_

_He looked over at her again, hand turning under hers until their fingers linked. Smiling, he lightly squeezed her hand. Adrien looked at her as if she knew the answer to a question he hadn’t asked, as if the answer would appear if he only looked long enough._

_“So, um,” she broke the silence, looking down at their joined hands. “Why did you want me to keep this a secret? Won’t everyone find out when you show up and start playing?”_

_“That’s not the secret,” he agreed. “The secret is that I wrote a song for you. I haven’t written one for anyone else. I don’t want them to get jealous.”_

_“Oh,” she said, smiling down at their hands. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell.”_

 

“Marinette?”

She looked up from her sketchbook, blinking at the sunlight behind the person standing beside her table at the little outdoor café. “Adrien?”

He reached up to rub awkwardly at the back of his neck. “Um, hey. Do you mind if I sit down?”

She shook her head, removing her bag from the other chair and gesturing at it. “What’s up?”

He sat down on the edge of the chair, setting his own bag down on the table in front of him. “Actually, I wanted to apologize.”

“What? Adrien, no-”

He shook his head, cutting her off. “No, I need to. I was pretty awful the other night. You’re right, your relationship is your own business. I don’t have any right to judge.”

She sighed and tangled her hands in her lap. “We both said things we shouldn’t have. I’m sorry too.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” he said quietly, glancing at her nervously. “You’ve moved on. I, uh, I came around too late.”

The breath caught in Marinette’s chest, her heart jumping to her throat. Her knuckles turned white as she realized what he was saying.

“But, I guess that doesn’t matter,” Adrien continued, oblivious to her heart attack. “You’re with Luka, and I am happy for you. You deserve someone who cares about you, and if you say he does then that’s enough for me.”

“He cares,” Marinette agreed, voice breathless. “Adrien-”

“And we don’t ever have to talk about this again,” he assured her, determined to get everything out. “I just want to make sure we’re still friends. You’re a really good friend, Marinette, and that is more important to me than any feelings I have.”

She watched as he talked, feeling like she was floating above the table. He loved her- she finally knew that he did- and he was willingly giving up.

“So, um,” he finally stopped and looked at her again. “Are we good?”

She nodded automatically. “We’re good. We were always good.” Marinette flinched when the alarm on her phone began to buzz against the table. She hit the button to make it stop and stood up. “I’m sorry, I have to go, I’m going to be late.”

“No, it’s okay,” he assured her, standing up too. “Work meeting?”

She put her sketchbook away and awkwardly smiled at him. “Um, dinner date. We’re trying the new Thai place across town.”

“Oh!” he said, once again rubbing at the back of his neck. “Um, well, have fun!”

“I’ll see you Sunday at the bar?” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” he promised, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. She smiled up at him and turned to go.

 “Marinette?” Adrien asked suddenly as she started to walk away.

She stopped and turned around. “Yes?”

“Are you happy?” he asked, earnest and open. “With Luka?”

She looked at him- noting the way the spring sunlight turned his hair to the finest gold, the way his arm flexed slightly as he held onto the strap of his bag, the strange _something_ in his eyes as he looked at her in return. Her heart beat harder against her ribs. “Yes,” she said, ignoring the way her heart was trying to push its way out of her chest. “I am.”

 

 

“Are you feeling okay?” Luka asked later that night as they walked from the subway station to Marinette’s apartment. He reached out and laced his fingers through hers, palm warm and large against hers. “You’ve been pretty quiet tonight.”

She bit her lip. “Um, I just have a lot on my mind. I’m sorry, I know I haven’t really been fun tonight.”

“Hey,” he said, bumping his shoulder against hers as they walked. “Don’t say that. I always have fun when I’m with you.”

She shook her head and smiled at him. “You are such a charmer. How did I ever end up so lucky?”

He grinned, letting go of her hand and draping his arm over her shoulders instead. “By being amazing,” he said simply as they turned onto her street. “And by being you. That’s it. That’s all you had to do.”

“Charmer,” she said again, stopping them in front of her building. “But thank you.”

“Thank you for a wonderful date,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “Are you sure you need to go inside already?”

Marinette nodded, moving out from under his arm and taking his hands in hers. “I have an early meeting tomorrow. Are we still on for dinner and a movie?”

Luka smiled his soft smile and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “Of course,” he promised. He kissed her again, lingering as they parted and kept their foreheads pressed together for a moment before Marinette stepped back.

“Until tomorrow,” she said, smiling.

Luka grinned. “Sweet dreams, Marinette.”

She turned and went inside, stopping to look back just as Luka began to walk back towards the subway. Marinette continued up the stairs to her apartment, unlocking the door and picking up Tikki as she greeted her at the door. The cat began to purr as Marinette carried her through the living room and into the bedroom, where she curled up around her.

“Tikki, I think I have a problem,” she murmured quietly. “Adrien basically said he loves me, and I think I might still love him.”

Tikki blinked at her slowly before rolling over to reveal her tummy. Marinette smiled and pet the offered spot.

“But Luka is so sweet and interesting and I’ve never had to wonder how he feels,” she continued. “And isn’t that something I should stay with?”

Marinette scratched under Tikki’s chin. “You are so lucky you don’t have to deal with this sort of thing, Tikki. Feelings are the worst.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has commented and left kudos on this fic! It is super motivating to see people are enjoying it! I'm planning to have the last chapter up on Sunday, but due to work, school, and personal life that may not happen. Fingers crossed!


	4. Chapter 4

_The night air was pleasantly cool on her bare arms as she laid out on one of the loungers on Alya’s balcony, the stars above her surprisingly bright considering all the light still coming from the city. She glanced behind her as the door onto the balcony opened and closed, smiling as Adrien laid down on the other lounger beside hers._

_“Tired of playing third wheel?” she teased._

_Adrien nodded. “I thought it was time to give them some space so Nino can finally make his move,” he said, wiggling around until he was comfortable. “Or so Alya can make hers. Either way, it was time for them to be alone. I hope you don’t mind me sharing the balcony.”_

_She shook her head, looking at the stars again. “Not at all. But I do expect some fantastic conversation, so you better deliver.”_

_“There’s always a price, isn’t there,” he grinned over at her. She kept looking at the sky, sensing more than hearing him look up too. “Hmm, okay. Do you believe in soulmates?” he asked._

_“No,” she replied. “Do you?”_

_“Of course!” his soft voice sounded almost scandalized. “Some people are just meant for each other. I mean, look at Nino and Alya.”_

_Marinette laughed. “You think they’re soulmates? They’re a combined mess.”_

_“And that’s why they work,” he insisted. “They compliment each other’s mess. Why don’t you believe in soulmates?”_

_She shrugged. “I guess I don’t like the idea that I don’t get a say in the matter. I don’t want to think that someone out there is already chosen for me. I want to do the choosing.”_

_“Who would you choose?” he asked._

_She glanced over at him, his face shadowy from the dim light from the apartment and the city. He had one arm behind his head as a cushion, the other hand resting over his stomach as he looked up at the stars. Marinette closed her eyes and turned her head back towards the sky. “Jagged Stone,” she finally said. “He’s rich, cool, and talented. All the things I want to be.”_

_“Soulmates aren’t supposed to be what you want to be,” Adrien said. “They’re supposed to match you, make you better.”_

_“Jagged Stone would make me better,” she insisted, smiling slightly. “He could help me get my own fashion house off the ground.”_

_Adrien sighed and shook his head. “That is not the point of a soulmate.”_

_She rolled her eyes. “Okay, Adrien. Let’s say soulmates exist. Who would you want yours to be?”_

_He was silent for a moment before rolling onto his side. “Someone kind, and warm. Someone I could talk to about anything and that I know I could trust. She’d need to be smart, and funny, and I’d need to be comfortable with her. She’d probably be stubborn, and definitely creative.” He looked at her, smiling slightly. “Honestly, I think she’d need to be a lot like you.”_

_Marinette bit her lip, staring back at him with wide eyes as he rolled over again so he was watching the star-filled sky again. She blinked rapidly, trying to get herself back under control before she said something impulsive to ruin the moment._

_“And if you met someone with all that, you’d just let fate decide rather than trying to make anything happen?” she asked once the drumming of her heart had slowed down again._

_Adrien was quiet as he thought it over. “I’d do something, but I think even meeting someone like that would be fate. I think soulmates are people that we would choose anyway, they’re just the ones that fate made to be just right for us, you know?”_

_She smiled, knowing it couldn’t be seen in the dark. “Maybe.”_

 

 

Marinette rushed to the door in her pajamas, yanking it open to see who knocked so incessantly at eight in the morning. “Alya?”

“I brought coffee,” she started, pushing past Marinette with a to-go cup in each hand. “So don’t start complaining about me waking you up.”

She closed the door and sat down beside Alya on the couch. “Why are you here?”

“Adrien told Nino he told you how he feels,” she replied, handing Marinette her coffee. “And I figured you would need to freak out.”

Marinette tried to keep her jaw from dislocating from a yawn. “At eight in the morning?”

Alya frowned. “I have things going on later today, this was the only time I could come over. So? How are you dealing?”

Marinette shrugged. “Fine? I mean, yeah, it’s kind of a lot to know Adrien likes me like that, but it doesn’t really matter now.”

“What?” Alya nearly dropped her own cup of coffee. “Are you serious? After three years you’re finally over him?”

“I’m with Luka,” she said, sipping the coffee. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about Adrien.”

Alya blinked at her in shock. “So you still have feelings for him?”

She shrugged again. “I mean, yeah. But I’m with Luka.”

“You keep saying that,” Alya said. “Being with someone doesn’t mean you can’t have feelings for someone else.”

“But it does mean that I can’t do anything with those feelings,” she replied. “So it doesn’t matter.”

Alya’s eyes narrowed behind her glasses. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, are you using dating Luka as a way to avoid dealing with your feelings for Adrien and the fact that he has feelings for you?”

“No,” Marinette said.

Alya set down her coffee. “I don’t buy that,” she said simply. “So try again.”

Marinette huffed out a breath. “Can we please talk about this another time?”

“Nope.”

She set down her coffee beside Alya’s and rubbed her hands over her face. “Look, am I shocked that Adrien said he has feelings for me? Yes. Would I have been crazy excited and panicked if he told me that two months ago? Yes. But it isn’t two months ago. Luka has been wonderful, and he makes me happy, and I would be an idiot to throw that away just because Adrien has finally decided to return my feelings.”

“But do you think you could be happier with Adrien?” Alya asked.

Marinette glared at her. “Are you not listening? I am happy with Luka. And Adrien didn’t even say how he really feels, he just said that he has feelings. No- he said he might have feelings. That is not enough to make me leave a perfectly good guy.”

“But you’ve been so crazy about Adrien for so long.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Marinette stood up and began to pace. “You think I don’t know that I could probably be with Adrien now if Luka and I broke up? Do you think I didn’t think about that all last night until I fell asleep, and that that thought didn’t make me feel awful because of Luka? He deserves someone who is committed to him, and I can’t even be sure if I am now because of Adrien!”

Alya stood up and put her hands on Marinette’s shoulders to get her to stay still. “What do you want to do?”

“What do you mean?” Marinette demanded.

“If you didn’t have to worry about anyone else’s feelings, if you were to choose between them and everything would be fine, what would you do?” she asked.

Marinette stared at her for a moment before slumping. “It doesn’t matter,” she said softly. “Either way, someone would get hurt. If not Luka or Adrien, then me.”

Alya wrapped her in a hug. “So what are you going to do?”

“There’s nothing to do,” Marinette said. “Luka is great. And I like being around him.”

“But do you love him?”

Marinette couldn’t say anything. Alya hugged her tighter.

 

 

 

Two days later, Marinette, Alya, Nino, and Adrien sat around Alya’s living room, take-out containers and cupcake wrappers covering the coffee table. Nino and Alya sat on the couch, Nino’s arm around her shoulders and they leaned back. “Oh god, why did we get so much food?” he moaned.

“You said it was a good idea!” Alya said, rubbing her stomach.

He shook his head. “I was hungry! Never let me make decisions when I’m hungry. Or tired. Or listening to new music. Basically, just don’t ever let me make decisions.”

“I am so holding that over you from now on,” Alya let him know. “You’re so going to regret it.”

Marinette and Adrien laughed at their friends as they bickered good-naturedly. She stretched as she leaned back onto her hands, moving so her legs were stretched out under the table. Alya began to pick up the empty food containers on the table as she and Nino continued to tease each other. “Hey, so I’ve decided you’re on clean-up duty with me. Grab those wrappers.”

Nino groaned as he followed her instructions. “What have I done?”

“Given me full power over your life,” Alya replied with a smirk. “Now, let’s talk about getting rid of that old hat.”

Nino gasped. “You can’t take the hat!”

Marinette glanced over at Adrien just as he looked towards her, their eyes meeting as they grinned. For a moment, it was like the entire world had paused. Nothing and no one else existed except for them: sitting at a corner of a coffee table, hands inches apart on the floor, staring into each other’s eyes. The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly, his hair was a mess from how he would run his hands through it when he was frustrated, and he had a tiny bit of chocolate at the corner of his mouth from the cupcakes they had been eating.

He had never looked so wonderful.

Marinette felt her heart kick into a samba, knocking rapidly against her ribs as she and Adrien continued to watch each other, his grin slowly fading into a gentle smile. She bit her lip, jumping slightly when his hand moved the few inches to cover hers. He squeezed her hand gently before letting go and looking away, a light blush staining his cheeks.

She looked down at her hand, trying to get her heart to settle down. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the chatter of their friends give her an excuse to be quiet. Glancing at Adrien again, she saw he was already looking at her. He gave her another smile and a quick wink before joining back into the conversation with their friends.

Marinette tuned back into the conversation as well, nodding along as Alya began to talk about the new movie she wanted to go see. Carefully she reached out her hand to cover Adrien’s. He turned his hand over and laced their fingers together loosely, giving her the option to let go.

Her heart burned in her chest, filling every space it could. Adjusting her seat on the ground so she was a tiny bit closer to Adrien, she tightened her hold on his hand.

 

 

Marinette tapped her pen rapidly against the table, alternating between staring at the blank piece of paper before her and the phone beside her. Sighing, she threw down the pen and picked up her phone, opening a text message to Luka.

 _Would you meet me at the river?_ she texted, trying not to let herself overthink her wording. _I think we should talk about something._

Luka replied quickly, agreeing to meet her at the bench she liked as a sketching spot. Marinette got there first, pacing restlessly while she waited. After about five minutes, she saw him approaching, the sunlight brightening the fading turquoise in his hair.

“Hey Marinette,” he said once he reached her, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. “What did you want to talk about?”

She bit her lip as they sat down, wringing her hands in her lap. “Um, I, uh, I- I need to tell you something.”

His eyebrows lifted at her stutter. “’Okay,” he said, turning to face her more fully. “What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath and let it go slowly before mirroring his posture. “I want to be fair to you, and I don’t think I have been. I- uh, this is so hard to say,” she took another deep breath before continuing. “I have feelings for someone, and I don’t want to hurt you, so I think it would be better if we stopped seeing each other.”

He was silent for a long moment, looking at her with his eyes slightly unfocused. He shook his head slightly. “So, uh, you want to break up because you have feelings for someone else?”

She hung her head. “I don’t it’s fair to you to keep dating if I’m in love with-”

“Love?” his voice cracked slightly. “You’re in love with someone else?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling smaller than ever. “You deserve better, I shouldn’t have-”

He shook his head, cutting her off. She fell silent as he ran his hand through his hair and stared over at the river. Finally, he sighed and looked at her again, expression resigned. “Don’t apologize. You can’t help how you feel. And, honestly, it’s better you realized you love them now rather than later. It saves us both some time.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “And I want you to know that you are wonderful, and you made me so happy. And I wish things were different. Maybe if I had known you first- but I guess that doesn’t really matter. I’m sorry, Luka.”

He reached out and held onto her hand. “I hope it works out for you,” he said sincerely. “I still think you’re amazing, Marinette, and you deserve only good things.”

The butterflies dying in her stomach fluttered weakly. “Thank you.”

Luka nodded and let go of her hand, standing up. “I, uh, I’m going to go. But I’ll see you around, Marinette.”

“Bye, Luka,” she said with a sad smile.

He smiled his soft smile at her before turning away and leaving her sitting on the bench. Marinette watched him go for a moment before sighing and putting her head in her hands. She wished things could be different- that she had been able to let go of Adrien and love Luka the way he deserved. She could easily picture the simple and happy life they could have had: a small apartment by the river, guitar picks and scraps of fabric and bits of poetry on every possible surface, anniversaries and birthdays spent out at their favorite restaurants, waking up to his soft smile each morning. For a moment she worried she had made the biggest mistake of her life.

Soft piano music drifted over to her, causing her to whip her head up and stare around at the street performer who had set up by the river. His dark blonde hair shone dully in the sun and his nose was too long, but there was enough of a resemblance to let Marinette breathe again. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the bench, letting the music pass through her. It was a classical piece, something she vaguely recognized from when Adrien would sometimes play mindlessly while they all hung out and worked on their own projects.

Her phone buzzed in her bag. Fishing it out, she found a text from Adrien. _Hey, I’m on your side of town. You free? Want to get ice cream or wander around that fabric store you like?_

She smiled. _I’m just at the river_ , she responded. _Meet you at Andre’s?_

He sent a smiley face back in record time as she began to walk towards the performer that had set up near her bench. She dropped a few dollars in the hat he had set down in front of his keyboard before walking away.

She wouldn’t have that small apartment with Luka, she thought. But she could have a home with Adrien where their cats would curl up beside each other in a patch of sunlight coming through a balcony window, where he surprised her with his attempts at cooking in the morning, where sheet music found its way between the pages of her poetry books and he acted as a mannequin for her clothing designs, where they fell asleep each night with her head tucked into his neck and his arm around her waist. Marinette bit back a smile as her steps sped up.

This wasn’t a mistake. This was a new beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I changed the amount of chapters because I felt like this was a good place to stop this section before we focus solely on Adrinette in the last one. 
> 
> For anyone unsure on why the break-up didn't have a ton of build up: sometimes break-ups aren't dramatic. Sometimes you just realize that while the other person is wonderful and great, you want more, or someone else makes you feel more. It sucks, but that's life.
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who has been reading and commenting, you make my day! I hope you liked this chapter, and I hope to have the last one up by the end of this week!


	5. Chapter 5

Alya smirked and shook her head as Marinette walked into the bar, ignoring Nino’s wolf-whistle as their friend walked towards them in a little black dress paired with red high heels, earrings, and a thick red bracelet around one wrist. “Aren’t you a little too dressed up for an open mic?”

Marinette blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mhmm,” Alya hummed. “So, this has nothing to do with you finally telling Adrien that you and Luka broke up?”

She blushed harder. “Um, no?”

“Point one to Alya,” Nino muttered as he set up the sound system at his usual table. Marinette glared at him.

“Look, I get why you didn’t tell him right away,” Alya said, looping her arm through Marinette’s. “But it’s been over a week. I know you two have spent time together, and yet the boy still doesn’t know you’re single? Marinette, get your act together. You love him, he loves you, you two could be making out hardcore by now. Why haven’t you told him?”

Marinette refused to meet Alya’s eyes, instead focusing on spinning her bracelet around her wrist. “What if he changed his mind?” she finally asked quietly.

Alya and Nino both frowned at her. “Marinette,” Nino said, watching her while he finished connecting his last cord to the board. “Adrien may be an idiot, but he’s not that much of an idiot. He finally figured out how he feels about you- he’s not going to change his mind now that he actually has a chance.”

“And if he does,” Alya scowled, her eyes promising major pain to anyone who dared cross her. “He and I will have a nice little chat about what happens to assholes who play with peoples’ feelings.”

“Right, same,” Nino said mildly. “But seriously, you don’t need to worry. As soon as he sees you in that dress, he’s going to fall at your feet and beg you to marry him, so you probably don’t actually even need to do anything else.”

“For real,” Alya agreed, letting go of Marinette.

Marinette shook her head, heart beating too fast. “He is coming tonight, right?”

Nino nodded, holding up his phone. “He just texted he’s on his way.”

She took in a breath. “Okay. Okay. Can I go early tonight?”

Alya nodded, typing on her own phone. “How about first?”

“Perfect,” Marinette agreed as the door opened again and the regulars flooded in. Adrien came in at the back of the pack, stopping for a second and staring when he caught sight of Marinette. She waved shyly, blushing a little again.

“Wow,” Adrien said as he joined them. “Big date tonight?”

“Um, no,” Marinette said awkwardly, ignoring Alya and Nino both watching them like hawks. “Actually, uh, Luka and I broke up.”

“What?!” his half-shout drew the attention of half the bar. Blushing, he rubbed at the back of his head. “Um, I mean, I’m sorry. Um, what happened?”

She shrugged. “He just wasn’t right for me,” she said haltingly. “Not when I knew someone else could be.”

His eyes locked on hers, green meeting blue in silent understanding. He opened his mouth to speak just as Alya got on stage and began to open the show. They both reluctantly turned toward the stage, listening as she went through her usual introduction and rules. Adrien reached over hesitantly and brushed the back of his hand against Marinette’s. She caught his pinky with hers before he pulled away, keeping them connected with the tiny link.

“Okay, let’s get this started with the one and only Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” Alya said, leading the room in applause as Marinette let go of Adrien and walked up to the stage.  

She stood in front of the microphone, letting the applause die out before stepping close enough to speak. She took in a deep breath and let it out again.

“This is what it comes down to,” she began, eyes closed to block out brightness of the stage. “Three years of almost, three years of should have, three years of so close and so far. It comes down to a competition between butterflies in my stomach and the way my heart tries to jump out of my chest. It comes down to green eyes and warm hands, to soft piano music and a flour-covered kitchen.”

She sighed. “I wish I could say that this was a choice, but we both know that isn’t true. Some things are destined to happen, and some things can’t be changed: the sun sinking in the West, the moon fading each morning, steam rising from fresh coffee,” she paused and looked out over the stage lights in the direction of Adrien’s table. “Me loving you. It’s an inevitability. And I’m done trying to fight it. I love you. That’s what it comes down to.”

Marinette stepped back from the microphone and waved slightly in thanks for the applause from the crowd before getting off the stage. She hesitated for a minute before turning and going out the door, stepping out into the mild evening air and sitting down at one of the little tables on the front patio.

Less than five deep breaths later Adrien sat down in the chair beside hers. She kept her eyes on her folded hands on top of the table, waiting for his reaction.

He pushed his chair closer to hers before putting a gentle hand over both of hers. “Inevitable, huh?”

She closed her eyes. “Yeah.”

His hand tightened over hers. “For me too.”

She almost threw out her neck from how quickly she whipped her head around to look at him, the setting sun painting him a soft shade of gold. He looked back at her, expression open and hopeful as his eyes searched over her face as if trying to connect all her freckles in a single design. His free hand moved to brush a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear, lingering on her cheek too briefly before he pulled both his hands back to himself.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” she asked, unable to help herself.

He shook his head, grinning ruefully. “I was afraid I would ruin our friendship.”

“But I wanted you to ruin it!” she couldn’t keep herself from laughing. “God, we’ve wasted so much time.”

“Yeah, we have,” he said, reaching out for her hand again. She tangled her fingers with his, their palms pressed together. “So how about we go get something to eat, and then take a walk, and then I take you home?” he asked, eyes shining.

She bit her lip lightly. “Or we could get take-out, walk back to my apartment, and you could spend the night?”

He lifted one eyebrow. “Going a little fast there, aren’t we?”

Marinette squeezed his hand. “Well, the point of dating is to figure out how you feel about the other person. And I already know exactly how I feel about you.”

“And how’s that?” he teased, propping his free arm up on the table and leaning his head against his free hand.

She blushed. “You know.”

“Tell me anyway,” he said, grinning. “Here, I’ll start. Marinette,” he paused, face serious again. She felt her heart drumming against her ribs, the beat echoing throughout her body. “I love you. I have for a long time.”

She didn’t think about, didn’t let herself second guess the urge. Leaning in, she kissed him.

Adrien pulled her back in as she began to pull away again, both his hands coming up to cup her face as he kissed her softly and slowly. She felt herself melt into his hold as he drew it out, their foreheads pressed together and her hands tangling into his hair. He pulled her out of her chair and onto his lap, deepening the kiss as he did so. Marinette sighed into the kiss, mind blissfully quiet.

Finally pulling away, he bumped her nose with his. “Your turn.”

She smiled up at him, hands still in his hair. “I love you.”

He grinned and leaned in to kiss her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! A million thank yous to everyone who left kudos, commented, subscribed, and enjoyed this fic. I had the best time writing it and thinking about these two romantic idiots, and hope you had a great time too. 
> 
> You can come talk to me on tumblr (same username), and I do also have a poetry blog where I post original poetry, so if you liked what you read here, check chickadeeburns.tumblr.com out!


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